The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-12-28

with look Of astonishfnent. well j
aecla'r. ter think how long | he'd thct
boss an never fOun that out.
Didn't yer know he wus stone b!nes"
know IT, why Of course ! didn't;
WIS alters far an squar' in my dealin's.
an Ct I'd knowed tibet boss wus bline and
he'd glass eyes--they wus Gurus lookin'
eyes, ric'lec'-Td er ruther cut my
throat then or traded um Is a sOun thOss.
II wus SWARM man Guild do
leetle cussin' right now on count er Their
feller wat sole 'um ter me. But how did
yer fin IL out, anyhow"
Sam then related his experience on the
race course, taking considerable credit 10
himself, though he knew he was entitled
10 none, and Larkins laughed until the
tears ran down his brown cheeks
w Fat dyer think of this here boss I'm
on now" asked Iarkns
well, he looks like he mought be a
tolerable good crittur," said SAM "but
he amt got but one eye. "
''Ef ric lects right, replied Larkins
''but It's been SO long thet mebbe I've
fergot--the boss ! got from YOU didn't
hey but one eye, an Kin tell yer thet
WIS his leastes' fault"
II don't min thet 50 much, " said Sam,
poking his switch close TO the horses eye
and making him blink; "a boss with one
good eye is bettern a boss with two glass
ones wat he can { see Out'n."
"Ihet's So fur fac, " said Larkins,
'an' this here boss hes got good eye, as
yer kin see fur yersif
"Will yer swap i'm fur this here mule"
asked Sam.
wv at, evenF'
eyes" Their mules got two good
eyes an thet Oughter make il even. "
yer think so? Lomme tell yer, ! have
been lookin' ct tibet mules eyes, an
she'll be stone bline in loss'n three ye
fur a fac. "
How'd yer know tlets'
"rhars signs, yer see. You don't
know nothn' bout 'cm, but ] does, Is
does ev'ry man wat hes he'd ter do with
bosses an mules es long IS hes
Watts ther signs
"Well, c'uldn't jis' tell yer. 4 feller
hes ter l'an 'em by practeese, yer See"
sam sat silently contemplating the
black horse with longing eye for some
time, then he said. "Since yer won't swop
even, tell me wat yer viii DO '
Larkins pushed his hatupa and scratched
his head, while lac appeared 90 earnestly
consider the matter.
IN tell yer wat In do, he said
slowly, after few minutes occupied in
this way. "SinCc we'se ole fricns as yer
mought say, an hes he'd doalin's afore,
I'm let yer heve this boss far Their mule
an twinty dollars
"Twinty dollars" exclaimed Sam.
Pears like yer wanter stick me agin."
stick vert Why, shake alive, man
'twus me was stuck in 'tother trade.
sam got down and examined the horse, |
lo0lsing i'm his month, in Dis ono eye, and |
giving his tail jerk, seeming 90 fear that
there might be something deceptive in
Chat beautiful black appendagc.
"Oh, he's all right, said LmkIus
'ain't no glass eyes nor nothin' er that
sort bout i'm"
How ole is he" asked sam.
"Well / reckin he's somep'n over ten !
yer, " was the reply IL pose that mule, !
now. amt less'n twenty. But yer can't |
tell nOthin 'bOnt mule--hc mOught be |
ten ar he mOught be a HUNDRED, an yer |
W'uldnt know thcr defrence A mules |
"a mule, an yer'yc got ter take inn on |
sight an OnsceD rs yer mOught say"
"Ill tell yer wat III do, said sam
"rn give yer Their mule an SO, an' thet's
far enough"
ooh, come now" said Larkins, eyer |
wanter stick me gin.
stick yerf'
"Tcrbcr sho' yer does. This here hos,
IS with two SIGH mules Is thet, an yei |
knows it-fur yer amt no fool wen il |
comes ter tradin' bosses / knows thet |
But, h0Ws ever wen 1 begins "a trade ] |
amt one ter be run oil by "Trip ur & |
sevenpence, so III tuck Their mule an Slj |
an Their boss IS your n.
After little consideration Sam taking |
the mans word for il. and believing be |
really had beat him i'm horse trade be-
fore, slipped his hand into his pocket and
drew out roll of bills which h. counted |
over
Thar amt but Sl4 hyer," he said
IAN thets all I've got -
"Oh, well said Larzins, "as / said
afOre, amt one ter be run of N trade
by thrip ur sevenpence, an l amt
al Oin ter stan on a doller nuther-sO it's
"A trade, - and dismou ting he took the
saddle of the horse and laid it on the
ground
The change of saddles and brides was
soon made and Sam handed the money
over TO Larkins, who showed it into his
pocket without counting it, when the two
rode of in different directions, Larkins
looking over his shoulder when he had
gone a little way TO call out "Im afraid
you've done stuck me again, an this here
tradin' spcrrit is a-goin ter ruin me yet,
but ! CAM hep it,
Sam rode along ponderng over the little
in which he had just been en-
gagged He had a switch in his hand, and
gave his new horse a sharp cut with it,
which seemed 10 have about as eXhilarat-
ing an effect OH him as it might have had
ln a rhinoceros.
"Durn Their boss = said sam laying on
he switch two or three times and finding
he animal didn't quicken his gait "he's
he crawlin'est crittur l ever seed.
Then he began TO think that perhaps lac
hadn't stuck l.arkins SO badly in this last
rade The mule he had parted with was
he best animal they had on the farm, and
4 good mule is better than an indifferent |
horse though vain man may not like the
iteed lac bestrides TO have SO much ears
md so kttle tail as the former is gener-
Ally blessed with However. he rode on